AFL Player # 5: Elijah Tsatas

[TheGrizz]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2026
2024 My Boy Draft: Pick 14, Lore

 

[andleanback]

Lots of opinions flying around.
Mine is f he does not develop the physical power game that will allow him to push through traffic with power then the kicking will be an issue. You can not compare him to Danger as Danger was doing what he does at under 18 level .
I think he looks like he has the build to play at 86/88kg but he has to get there. He can play. He can find the footy. However he does have a minor flaw in his kicking action when he kicks under pressure or when he looks for distance on the run. There is a little flaw in the time between his ball and his leg swing. To put it in golf terms it is like a golf swing that stops for a fraction at the top of the swing before launching hard on the down swing. His short kicks are fine. His kicks under limited pressure are fine.
My opinion is they will struggle to fix the issue so he will need to develop into a power athlete.

In golfing terms he doesn’t have tempo. Yep his action is clunking, at least danger (not an accurate kick) is a pure kicking action which has allowed him to kick 60m at top speed and while under pressure.

 

[Zach Package]

He's no worse than Dangerfield, Fyfe, Judd.

It’s almost as if everyone has blanked everything these three blokes ever did out of their memory.

Much like Elijah, they get it where they need to go but they were and are still certainly good for a flat punt that goes where it needs to. And that’s fine.

To be perfectly honest I’m far more interested in how quick he is hand to foot and how much penetration he’s got off a step or a step and a half. So far so good on both fronts.

 

[Mikevk123]

This guy should be playing. Get him on ball and unleash him. He oozes class in traffic.

 

[Vander18]

Lots of opinions flying around.
Mine is f he does not develop the physical power game that will allow him to push through traffic with power then the kicking will be an issue. You can not compare him to Danger as Danger was doing what he does at under 18 level .
I think he looks like he has the build to play at 86/88kg but he has to get there. He can play. He can find the footy. However he does have a minor flaw in his kicking action when he kicks under pressure or when he looks for distance on the run. There is a little flaw in the time between his ball and his leg swing. To put it in golf terms it is like a golf swing that stops for a fraction at the top of the swing before launching hard on the down swing. His short kicks are fine. His kicks under limited pressure are fine.
My opinion is they will struggle to fix the issue so he will need to develop into a power athlete.

Been saying this for ages - if he can power through stoppages nobody will care about his kicking.

The challenge here is twofold. (1) Develop the body (as you say above), which I’m confident he will. (2) Develop the mindset, which I am less confident about.

 

[yodellinhank]

TIL that if you take the player with the 2nd most Brownlow votes of all time, and make his one real weakness a strength, he'll be better.

It's a little late in his career, but if he can do that he might even reach the lofty heights of Elijah Tsatas (who misses selection again this week).

 

[katana]

To put it in golf terms it is like a golf swing that stops for a fraction at the top of the swing before launching hard on the down swing.

i agree with your post but most pros pause at the top.

 

[ant555]

i agree with your post but most pros pause at the top.

They do but it is a fraction longer with a more aggressive swing. In his case leg swing but in golf terms it does not look smooth. It is a fraction disjointed like the back swing has been wasted and too much energy is being forced into hitting the ball. In his case too much energy and not enough timing in the kick.

 

[Don Won]

It's a little late in his career, but if he can do that he might even reach the lofty heights of Elijah Tsatas (who misses selection again this week

Come on man. Time to let it go -your views are well recorded and you can comfortably say I told you so, but you have to wait a couple more years.

 

[faible]

It's a little late in his career, but if he can do that he might even reach the lofty heights of Elijah Tsatas (who misses selection again this week).

Could we perhaps just skip the part where you repeat the name negative complaints weekly for the next few years and just lodge it now for the remainder of his career?

 

[yodellinhank]

Could we perhaps just skip the part where you repeat the name negative complaints weekly for the next few years and just lodge it now for the remainder of his career?

I think that's what Don Won posted above you. Is there any need for you to post what's already been said, offering nothing new, like it's some kind of echo chamber?

Perhaps people should cease posting Tsatas as a suggested in each week because they've been misled, reading about how he's playing like Patrick Dangerfield in the reserves?

 

[faible]

I think that's what Don Won posted above you. Is there any need for you to post what's already been said, offering nothing new, like it's some kind of echo chamber?

Perhaps people should cease posting Tsatas as a suggested in each week because they've been misled, reading about how he's playing like Patrick Dangerfield in the reserves?

I hadn’t read his post when I made that comment. So two posters independently saying the same thing.

Noticeable that you’ve ignored it.

 

[yodellinhank]

I hadn’t read his post when I made that comment. So two posters independently saying the same thing.

Noticeable that you’ve ignored it.

That's normally what I do if I read a post I don't like but haven't got a counterpoint for. Take it on board, or not, and scroll on.

 

[BrunoV]

He's not at Dangerfield / Judd level of physical insanity.

But he's more dynamic than any other midfielder on the list, maybe apart from Durham.

In terms of weight. Tastes has the lower body of a beast. He will be massive I reckon and still move well with it.

I reckon that nets out as someone a bit stronger and bigger than Rozee, maybe a bit more agile, a bit more capable inside, and as you say, weaker by foot.

If it's a straight swap I'm taking Rozee all day, but then he's a Rolls Royce.

Tsatas will look a lot better if he gets bigger and suddenly decides to (or is pushed to) become a hard tackling beast. I think that's the thing that would really make him as a player, and it's a change that is more uncertain than his foot skills.. which will inevitably improve.

I do not believe he has Perkins covered for athleticism at all. That's hardly an insult as Perkins is a top quality athlete.

What do you mean when you say the lower body of a beast? I take that to mean Petracca or maybe Yeo. What's the mid point between a beast and someone a bit stronger than Rozee?

These athletic traits are not something which emerge out of nowhere, certainly no for guys sub-200cm-ish for an arbitrary cut off.

I remember the day I fell in love with my wife Laverde. It was 2015 in the VFL at the home ground for Carlton's VFL affiliate at the time. He played the game with a key position sized player hanging off him for most of the game. He didn't dominate the game, I don't think, but the obvious power, and ability to use the ball and take marks under pretty intense physical pressure really stood out. Has Tsatas had the day yet?

 

[fairbump_playon]

I do not believe he has Perkins covered for athleticism at all. That's hardly an insult as Perkins is a top quality athlete.

What do you mean when you say the lower body of a beast? I take that to mean Petracca or maybe Yeo. What's the mid point between a beast and someone a bit stronger than Rozee?

These athletic traits are not something which emerge out of nowhere, certainly no for guys sub-200cm-ish for an arbitrary cut off.

I remember the day I fell in love with my wife Laverde. It was 2015 in the VFL at the home ground for Carlton's VFL affiliate at the time. He played the game with a key position sized player hanging off him for most of the game. He didn't dominate the game, I don't think, but the obvious power, and ability to use the ball and take marks under pretty intense physical pressure really stood out. Has Tsatas had the day yet?

You're married to Laverde as well? Thought not was just me.

Well for one - you should really spend some more time looking at Tsatas' legs and hips. I reckon you might fall in love all over again.

Tsatas hasn't had that day yet. He lacks the upper body strength and maybe still even the core strength. But I reckon you can see start of that leg drive that will get him out of trouble. He just looks a smooth mover. Personally I reckon it's very easy to see that frame being a very big one.

Laverde was evenly formed. Tsatas is still a giraffe with splinter skills. His version of that day was last week, winning 39 touches and spraying the ball by foot. Fully agree that he's only showing half of what he needs to. Maybe the other half will never come. Maybe it will.

 

[BrunoV]

You're married to Laverde as well? Thought not was just me.

Well for one - you should really spend some more time looking at Tsatas' legs and hips. I reckon you might fall in love all over again.

Tsatas hasn't had that day yet. He lacks the upper body strength and maybe still even the core strength. But I reckon you can see start of that leg drive that will get him out of trouble. He just looks a smooth mover. Personally I reckon it's very easy to see that frame being a very big one.

Laverde was evenly formed. Tsatas is still a giraffe with splinter skills. His version of that day was last week, winning 39 touches and spraying the ball by foot. Fully agree that he's only showing half of what he needs to. Maybe the other half will never come. Maybe it will.

Yeah, I do not see it, not in his body and not in the things he does on field.

 

[katana]

it's a bit crazy everyone is in here talking about dangerfield, fyfe, ablett, etc.

all of those guys had figured out other positions on the field prior to becoming gun mids. danger was a forward, fyfe was a halfback, ablett was a small forward. they're also absolute champions of the comp it's and unfair to compare to anyone. tsatas seems to have one trick which is clean hands in congestion, he doesn't wear a lot of physical contact.

i suppose we could make it work, for our midfield mix it would need to be at the expense of parish. which is probably not gonna happen. he needs to develop some weapons.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Yeah, I do not see it, not in his body and not in the things he does on field.

Soothsaying is imperfect. Let's catch up in 2026